Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Ideas

Treat your little ghosts and goblins to a Halloween party that’s frightfully fun! Jennifer Tyler Lee, author of The 52 New Foods Challenge, shares a few kid-friendly Halloween party ideas.

My little ones love Halloween, and they take special thrill in the festive celebrations that come along with this holiday. To celebrate, we’ve created a not-so-scary Halloween party menu to help you and your kids host a friendly fete with spooktacular treats, a bewitching craft, and loads of fun.

Easy Halloween Desserts

Spooky Halloween treats are at the center of every Halloween party. But they don’t have to be loaded with scary ingredients! These Halloween party treats are low on sugar and big on fun. Bonus: these sweet treats are easy to cook with your kids.

No-bake, nut-free Halloween spider cookies. Photo credit: Jennifer Tyler Lee

Start with a few Spooky Spider Cookies. Packed with healthy fats, these no-bake, nut-free oatmeal cookies are perfect for kids’ parties because they are allergy-friendly.

Chocolate and toasted coconut Graveyard Pudding Cups. Photo credit: Jennifer Tyler Lee

Add frightfully delicious Graveyard Pudding Cups made with avocado chocolate pudding and topped with toasted coconut. A shortbread cookie serves as the headstone, and doubles as a spoon for enjoying your ghoulish treat.

Finally, dress up a whole-wheat pumpkin muffin as a Batty Pumpkin Cupcake. Top homemade pumpkin muffins with maple buttercream frosting, and a dusting of dark cocoa powder, then decorate with handmade paper wings to turn them into bats.

Round out your table with a few ready-made Halloween treats like these adorable Slice-and-Bake Halloween Cookies and Pumpkin Macarons.

A No-Mess Halloween Craft

Our Halloween party wouldn’t be complete without a fun (and no-mess!) craft: no-carve washi tape pumpkins. You only need two supplies for this project: mini pumpkins and a colorful selection of washi tape. Choose orange, black, gold, and silver patterned tape to set the mood. Let kids get creative with how they decorate their pumpkins, then add them to your table for everyone to enjoy.

Jennifer Tyler Lee is an award-winning writer and author of the book The 52 New Foods Challenge. Her family-friendly approach to cooking has been spotlighted by Jessica Alba, Jamie Oliver, Michael Pollan, and Oprah.com, among many others.